Notes on materials:
- Whilst you can make your own popper heads out of cork
or foam I prefer to buy pre-formed popper heads. Because they are
injection moulded they are always symmetrical, have a hard and smooth
easily pintable surface and have the cut for the hook moulded into their
shape.
- It is also worth noting that I use stainless hooks
for all my poppers because when coupled with the pre-formed popper
heads they will last a long time, if washed and dried after use, and of
course can then be used in both fresh and salt water.
- I think eyes on flies are important and prefer dolls
eyes for my poppers. As an alternative you can of course use
holographic eyes or simply paint eyes on.
|
A)
- Tie the thread in at about the half way mark wind it
a further 1/4 of the distance toward the bend of the hook and then wind
it all the way forward to the eye of the hook in touching turns.
- Tie the cotton off and trim the excess.
- This will provide a foundation for the fly that will
stand the test of time and the rigors of solid hook ups.
|
|
B)
- Mix up a small amount of 5 minute epoxy and apply a
thin coat to the front half of the hook shank.
- Push the pre-formed popper head onto the hook shank
directly behind the eye of the hook.
- Fill the gap in where the hook was fixed with epoxy.
- Make sure the popper is aligned with the hook properly and rotate the popper until the epoxy goes off.
|
|
| C)
Paint the popper head and attach or paint on the eyes.
You can make this step as simple or as complicated as
you like. I believe that some flies catch more fishermen than fish and
I only put decoration into my popper heads that I think will help me
catch fish. Generally all I do is paint them a solid colour, dip the
top and bottom of the head in sparkles and then when they dry attach
eyes and give them a coat of varnish. Solid colours make them visible,
the sparkles catch the light from all directions, and the eyes stand
out.
At the other extreme I have seen air brushed heads with
all the bells and whistles.
A very good compromise finish can be achieved by
painting the popper head first and then spraying a second light colour
of silver over the base coat through fly screen mesh so as to create a
somewhat scale like pattern.
|
 |
| D)
Tie on a tail directly behind the popper head.
- Dahlberg diver tails are my preferred popper tail for bass.
|
|
- Deceiver type tails work well.
|
|
- Zonker strip tails also work well.
|
|
E)
- Tie in a length of estaz chenille at the bend of the
hook.
- Tie in two sets of legs "Chernobyl" style on each side of the fly.
- The easiest way to tie legs in is to hold the leg
material along the side of the fly with the same amount
either side of the thread.
- Take a couple of wraps of thread to lock the legs into
position.
- Repeat this process on the opposite side of the fly.
|
|
F)
- Wind the estaz chenille behind the legs , between the
legs and in front of the legs.
- Tie the chenille off directly behind the popper head,
trim the excess and whip finish behind the popper head.
- Trim the excess thread and varnish the whip finishing.
|
 |
